Commonwealth Podcast For Holistic Herbalism

We work with herbs for sleep improvement purposes very frequently, because sleep is so critical to good health. During sleep, your body works through a to-do list, including: detoxification, hormone ‘balancing’, wound healing, muscle growth, immune surveillance, fat burning, clearing inflammation, cleaning wastes from the brain, and even mood regulation!Lots of things in the modern world interfere with sleep, and lots of people have insomnia or sleep disruptions of one kind or another. Since sleep is so important to stay healthy, it’s a big problem when you can’t get enough quality rest. But your body is resilient, and herbs can help!We’re sharing strategies in two categories:What to do when you can’t fall asleep. A few new bedtime habits and some supportive herbs can we make the transition from waking to sleep easier & smoother.What to do when you can’t get more sleep than you’re already getting. This is about finding other ways to support what the body would normally be doing during sleep time. Herbs ca

“Pain is a signal to change your behavior.” This motto comes from our friend the herbalist Tammi Sweet, and perfectly sums up the holistic approach to working with herbs for pain. Something’s gotta change!In this episode we’re particularly focusing on recurring & chronic pain, but these strategies help acute pain as well. What we want to do is threefold. First, let’s change the pain signal – we can slow it down, or overwhelm it with other signals. Second, we need to quell excessive inflammation, because while inflammation is a necessary part of healing, too much or too long and it can slow healing down, or even initiate pain on its own. And last, we’ll need to release tension, since tension too can drive pain or impair recovery.As usual we’ve got strategies that revolve around making healthy changes to food, movement, and sleep habits. Less sugar, more veggies, some walking & stretching, good restorative sleep: these are foundational necessities. Herbs for pain – and seaweeds too! (order seaweed onlin

The holistic approach to herbalism for weight management doesn’t start with a search for “fat-burning herbs”. Instead, we focus on building health first & foremost. As we build good health, losing weight becomes easier and more permanent.In this episode we’ll explain why it’s hard to lose weight – there’s an evolutionary, physiological basis for it. It’s not just about calories in & calories out! Weight management can be stalled by issues with the thyroid & other hormones, insufficient sleep, and even meal timing.Of course, what’s in the meals matters too! Unforunately, the food that’s most easily available & cheap isn’t what’s healthy. The good news is, it is possible to eat healthy on a budget. Try reading through our tips for finding low-cost high-quality food, for a start.And there are helpful herbs for weight management too. Medicinal plants can help on a hormonal level, reduce sugar cravings and improving the hormonal aspects of blood sugar regulation. Herbs and seaweeds (order seaweed o

Edema is stuck fluid: stagnant blood and lymph that isn’t flowing the way it should be. Puffy ankles and swollen fingers are just two ways this might show up for someone. It’s not just cosmetic – stagnations like this impair wound healing and healthy cellular function, and can put strain on the heart and kidneys. Fortunately, there are many common and inexpensive herbs for edema, and some of them might already be in your kitchen! You can start today to drain the excess fluid and restore healthy conditions to the body.Along with a bit more movement and some changes to the diet, herbs can help with edema in a variety of ways. Some of them stimulate the kidneys to filter out more fluid from the body. Others give the blood circulation a kick, to disperse pooled fluids. Certain herbs even help to circulate lymph, the “second” circulatory system in the body. And of course, there are topical astringents that can work on the outward expressions of puffiness, restoring healthy skin tone.Herbs discussed include: dandel

Diabetes is very common and can lead to a number of serious health issues. Holistic methods can improve diabetes by correcting what’s wrong at the source: too much sugar in the blood. These methods will include making changes to the diet – reducing sugar and refined carbs, getting more vegetables – as well as building more movement into your day.Working with herbs for diabetes doesn’t have to be difficult. Simple common spices and herbs you may already have in your kitchen can help out a lot! Herbs can improve your blood sugar regulation, and your blood circulation – and herbs can reduce sugar cravings, too! Listen in to learn how to get started today.Herbs discussed include: cinnamon, tulsi, parsley, mulberry, blueberry/bilberry.This is part 2 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two very common cardiovascular issues that you can safely improve with herbs. You can reduce your risk and improve your resilience with inexpensive medicinal plants and foods. These safe, abundant herbs can help release stress-induced tension, reduce fluid retention, and protect against the inner damage that drives cholesterol up. With a little more (or different) movement in your day, and a little more sleep at night, they’ll work even better!Herbs discussed include: chamomile, tulsi, dandelion, parsley, garlic, hibiscus.This is part 1 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors. The safe, accessible tools of holistic herbalism can fill in the gaps left by uneven access and affordability of conventional care. Working with easy-to-find, inexpe

What do we want to build in place of the unjust systems we are living in? Everyone plays a role in deciding. Let’s do it consciously. The role of herbalists and of herbalism in mutual aid is to share knowledge, skills, and materials – and there are lots of ways to do it.Community care systems have lots of moving parts, lots of places you can contribute. If we can all learn the basic skills required to care for regular problems – common infections, minor wounds, daily management of prevalent chronic illnesses – that counts for a lot. If we can also grow, share, and work with accessible herbs in every community, that’s mutual aid for real.Herbalism as mutual aid might look like making tea and sharing it with neighbors. It might look like welcoming community members into your garden. It might look like sharing One Cool Herbal Trick that really works! But it’ll always look like a team effort if you look closely, because none of us are in this alone, and that’s the whole point.Mentioned in this episode:CCHH Schola

America is blanketed in righteous protests against police brutality and impunity. This is necessary. In the course of this work many people are being traumatized, whether through direct violence or by observing violence inflicted on their friends, comrades, and communities.Herbs can’t solve systemic racism, but they can support recovery and build resistance. We can work with herbs for trauma processing and stress reduction, we can work with herbs for pain relief and tension release, we can work with herbs for comfort and self-care, and community care.Take this information, use what helps you, share it with anyone who might need it. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, drink some tea – and keep up the good fight.Mentioned in this episode:Donate to Black Lives MatterCampaign Zero#8cantwaitOutdoor AfroDiversify OutdoorsHerbs discussed include: plantain, nettle, blue vervain, linden, wild lettuce, California poppy, tulsi, eleuthero, rhodiola, st john’s wort, yarrow.As always, please subscribe, rate,

Our model of the primary determinants of health is the Four Pillars: food, sleep, stress, and movement. These things are in our individual control – or at least, that’s how we think of them and talk about them, most of the time. But the truth is, there’s a fifth pillar, and it can directly impact how an individual person eats, sleeps, and moves, as well as what stressors they are subject to. It’s community.In our society, systemic oppression in the form of racism, sexism, heteronormativity, ableism, and other such forces mean that minorities and oppressed groups are subject to greater health risks than their privileged peers. This remains true even if we compare individuals with similar socioeconomic status, health history, etc. The health impacts of systemic oppression are something that holistic practitioners cannot ignore if they truly want to work to heal “the whole person”.Our work must go beyond the individual, and address injustices at the community and societal levels.A small sample of the research on

The pharmaceutical model is the dominant paradigm for medicine in our culture. For those of us who grew up in this culture, it shapes our expectations of what medicine is and how medicine works. Everyone is susceptible to this, including herbalists and students of herbalism. Even if, in the front of our minds, we recognize the limits of a drug-oriented approach, it lurks in the mental undergrowth. It shapes the way we form our questions and the types of answers we look for.In herbalism, though, we are doing something different. Herbs are not drugs, they’re herbs. Herbalists are not doctors, they’re herbalists! Understanding the differences is important because it allows us to better assess when each strategy is most appropriate. Sometimes, you do need a pharmaceutical. Sometimes, a diet change and a daily pot of tea would actually be more effective. Being able to tell the difference is what allows us to integrate holistic and conventional methods successfully.Mentioned in this episode:The Holistic Herbalism P

Finding a tick embedded in your skin is distressing, even without the spectre of Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens. But if you find one after your next hike in the woods, don’t panic! A simple herbal tick bite protocol like the one we outline in this episode can put your mind at ease and give your body the best fighting chance.Herbs discussed include: cat’s claw, astragalus, oregano, thyme, propolis, pine resin, echinacea, poke root, garlic, cedar/thuja, blue vervain.If you want to learn more about our methods of working with Lyme (and other tick-borne illnesses), check out Katja’s course A Holistic Approach to Lyme Disease. It outlines strategies for all stages of the illness, from prevention through post-Lyme syndrome / chronic Lyme presentations, based on building resilience and adaptability in the body.As always, please subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the showYou can

Happy mother’s day, 2020! The truth is, any herb could be an herb for moms, because not all moms are alike, in their needs or their preferences. These four, though – linden, dandelion, yarrow, and violet – are really worth knowing and sharing with the mothers in your life.These plants are abundant, so you know you’re being sustainable and responsible. They’re resilient, and can pass that resilience on to us when we work with them. And they’re especially relevant to a mom’s life in the world today, too! Linden can help us release tension in the body and in the mind, and soothe frazzled nerves. Dandelion is irrepressible and sunny, and provides rooted nourishment when you’re feeling trampled. Yarrow is a warrior’s herb, and sometimes moms need to put on their armor and go to battle – whether that’s for the kids, or against them!

The battle’s done, and we kind-of won… Well, actually, the battle’s not entirely done either. But things are certainly shifting into a different mode. So, here are our top five everyday things you can do to stay healthy as this pandemic shifts into a new phase.Eat good food.Get more sleep.Move your body.Get herbs into your everyday life.Do an herbal steam occasionally (or frequently).Sounds pretty boring, right? But everyday stuff should be boring – because it’s for every day. And that foundation of good habits is what everything else depends on.We don’t know exactly what form the next crisis that affects each of us will take. It could be the same old ‘rona, it could be a new pandemic, it could be a natural disaster or something entirely personal. To prepare for the broadest array of possibilities, we need to support the broadest forms of resilience.Herbs discussed include: nettle, calendula, reishi, angelica, elecampane; sage, oregano, thyme, & other aromatics; hibiscus, rosehips, sumac, & other “vit

The pandemic has got all of us in a heightened state of alert. The news changes fast, stories come and go before we can fully process them, and every day there’s another set of statistics that are hard to mentally translate into real human lives. It’s stressful. Even if we’re not actively doomscrolling through Twitter, this background noise of fear and worry is elevated. So, this week, we’re sharing some of our favorite herbs for COVID anxiety – for any kind of anxiety, really, but specifically the ones we ourselves have been relying on lately.Ryn has been making a daily tea for himself with st john’s wort and friends, and has found it helpful in steadying out emotional peaks & valleys. He’s also been making sure to get some preparation of marshmallow in every day, because as a person with a dry constitution, it’s easy for him to get frazzled and frayed when anxiety is elevated. And when things are most acute, he’s turned to kava for a quick and comprehensive relaxant effect, often in the form of a rich h

Last week we urged you to look at learning herbalism like learning a language or instrument – something that requires daily practice. This week, we’re sharing some specific practices you can do to build your herbal skills on a daily basis!You can take lessons in herbalism, and study to learn – but the key here is, a little bit each day is better than “a lot” which happens only rarely. Building a habit of reading a few pages of an herb book, watching a half hour video lesson, or listening to an audio lesson on your commute every day will serve you well.Another way is to make space to experience your herbs daily. Drink tea, take tincture, taste them, smell them. Even better, do this while you’re studying to enhance your learning, to root it in your body and give your mind a touchpoint to return to. This strengthens memory!A helpful motto (especially for those who are allergic to regimentation) is “Don’t miss an opportunity.” Whenever something new-to-you comes up, take the chance to come up with an herbal plan

Herbalism is experiential: you have to DO it to KNOW it.It’s like learning to play a musical instrument – you’re going to sound bad at first! That’s necessary. If you refuse to play anything that isn’t perfect, you’ll never play anything. In herbalism, if you wait until you know everything there is to know, or until you’re 100% sure “it’s going to work”, you’ll be waiting all your life!Learning herbalism is also a process similar to that of language acquisition. No one can absorb all the grammar and tone of a new language without speaking it. As a beginner you’ll stumble over words, conjugate wrongly, and need a lot of slow, patient repetition from native speakers. As a new herbalist, you’ll mix tea blends that don’t taste good, or try to make a tincture that just doesn’t come out strong enough. That’s ok! In fact, it’s necessary for you to make mistakes to learn well.A lot of hesitation and uncertainty is driven by negative self-talk, so identifying and quarantining those thoughts is an important skill to de

It’s not just coronavirus, there’s a lot going on right now! Between the usual circulating strains of flu, some spring colds, and the stirrings of allergy season, plenty of folks are feeling rough. But it’s up to all of us to reduce strain on the medical system right now, so it’s more important than ever that we learn some herbal home nursing basics. These skills can help us to deal with minor issues on our own, so the health care workers can focus where they’re really needed.Staying hydrated is super important, and herbs can help the water to “stick” much better than plain water on its own. Managing fever is another key function that herbs can support – and these don’t need to be “fancy” herbs, either! Garlic, lemon, ginger, and thyme are enough to cover a lot of bases. A dry cough with a hot fever might mean COVID-19, or it might not, but either way, common herbs and kitchen items can help to relieve the symptom and address the root cause of it.The core of herbal home nursing basics is to keep vigilant, or

Whew! There’s a lot going on right now. Between coronavirus, the election cycle, and the approach of spring, we’ve been extra busy and under more stress than usual. This week we wanted to share with you some of the herbs we’ve been relying on to get through. It’s a bit of a smorgasbord!First up, a friend of ours is undergoing laser eye surgery, and we have some herbs to help make the healing process as quick & comfortable as possible. Supplements, compresses, and gentle healing sprays are all part of the plan.Then, there’s been a death in Ryn’s family – his grandfather passed away. There’s grief, as well as other emotions, to process and work through. There’s also the funeral! With family & friends coming in from across the country and the world, we’re looking at a large gathering – and of course this is during the coronavirus outbreak. So we’re thinking a lot about community immunity, and daily active immune defense measures we can put into place. Herbs are coming in as steams, decoctions, infusions,

The new pandemic coronavirus, COVID-19, is on everyone’s minds lately. As herbalists, we’ve been asked a lot about our thoughts on working with herbs for coronavirus preparedness, so that’s our topic today!First, we try to understand the virus and some facts about the illness it causes. How does it compare to “normal” flu, to H1N1, to SARS? Estimates and projections are in flux and will continue to evolve, but we share what seems most clear so far about the potential risks & severity of corona.There’s no benefit to be gained from a panic about pandemic. (Remember, the term “pandemic” doesn’t actually say anything about the severity of an illness – only its novelty and rapid spread.) The best way to avoid panic? Be prepared!There’s a lot more than herbs for coronavirus preparedness, though. We discuss why handwashing is so important (and why masks aren’t), and why it’s good to be ready for a period of self-quarantine. To that end, we cover how to stock up with immune-boosting nutrition – more than just cal

Join us for a discussion with our friend Rebecca Altman about the importance of self-awareness in the practice of herbalism – but also an exploration of vulnerability and in rebuilding our connection to the natural world.Some of the things we discuss are what it means to take responsibility for our health, how to build trust for experimenting in our lives, and the trouble with living in a society that prioritizes productivity over curiosity and wonder. We also focus on the importance of allowing ourselves to start from scratch and learn slowly, and to cultivate ever-expanding relationships with plants, instead of “knowledge” about them. These are important issues for any herbalist to explore, and especially for those interested in clinical practice.Mentioned in this episode:Wonder Botanica – get on Rebecca’s newsletter today, so you can be notified as soon as enrollment is open for the next round of The Wonder Sessions!The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, episode 65: How To Not Be A GuruHerbalism and the Law: The